Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-23
THE COTTON LETTERS.
Huntington Called OH for
Explanations.
HIS OPINION OF SOCIALISTS.
The Witness Prefers a Claim of
S2,000,000 Against the
Government.
HIS OPINION OF SOCIALISTS
Associated Press Dispatches to the Herald.

Associated Press Dispatches to the Herald.
New YORK, September 22.-The
Pacific Railroad Commission resumed
the examination of Mr.. Huntington
this morning. After some desultory
conversation, the examination of the
different letters sent to Cotton was
again entered upon. The first was in
relation to having convinced certain
Senator from Florida of the advant-
ages of the Southern Pacific roads tc
the Gulf States. Witness did not know
whether it was Senator Jones or Con
over he referred to.
THEY WANTED SARGENT.
The next was relative to having a
California Senator friendly to the road
Nothing could be extracted from Hunt
ington on this head by the Commits
sion, except that A. A. Sargent, whose
name Commissioner Anderson men
toned, would have been a most ad.
mirable man for the position. He was
we'll and able and above suspicion.
HOW JONES WAS INFLUENCED.
Following this came a letter com.
menting upon the advisability of pur.
chasing from Senator Jones of Nevada
the Los Angeles and Independence
Railway, so as to induce him to favor
the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific
railroads sinking fund bill. He
bought the road, which cost $4,000
for 5000 900. Jones was hard up and
witness knew that it would make
Jones take greater interest in the
Pacific roads if he took the other one
off his hands, so he took it.
HUNTINGTON ON SOCIALISM.
Another letter brought in Hunting.
toms opinions OF socialism and the
Congress of 1878. "This Congress is
an agrarian camp" the letter stated,
"it is composed of the worst body Of
men that ever got together in the
country"
edo you recognize your statements
in that passage" asked Mr.. Anderson
"Well, of late years 1 have re-
marked that there has been consider
able influx of anarchists and socialists
into public places. They cannot make
money themselves honestly, but $4,000
is great deal to them and they will
do lot for less"
THE COMPANY's ACCOUNTS.
Huntington knew nothing of the
books of the Contract and Finance
Company. He knew that after build.
ing the Central Pacific the company's
liabilities were big and the assets
nothing, and the Central Pacific's
stock was of less value than the
amount of its debts. 81 never kept
the books of the company, and carry
most of my own business memoranda
under my hat," said he, "and they
very seldom fool me-"
CLAIM AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
After the recess the witness went
into the methods and men employed
in starting the Central Pacific. "The
Government, "he said, took away the
company's power of repaying them
quickly when it subsidized the paral-
lell lines. The company has fulfilled
every obligation to the Government
it is they who have broken the con-
tract. The expenses of construction
were enormous, and at present the
Government owes the Central Pacific
81 900 900 which it will not pay, and
it will not pay interest on anything it
once has in its grasp"
THEY WERE UNDERPAID.
Huntington asserted that the Gov
ernment paid the Central Pacific less
for carrying the mails over the Sierra
Nevada than it paid level Eastern
roads.
Commissioner Littler asked for Off
cial data as to this, as it was a
grievous charge against the Govern
ment.
STOCK sPECULAToRs INTERESTED.
Mr.. Huntington stated that he be-
lieves that there is more than politics
behind the investigation. Numerous
parties are short on the market of the
Central Pacific, and he believes that
they are helping by pushing this in
vestigation to bring stock down.
PURELY RAILROAD MAN.
The witness stated that although a
director of the Pacific Mail, he never
voted at a meeting, as he was more in
terested in the railways antagonistic
to it. Everything he did was in the
interest of the railways.
PREPARING FOR SETTLEMENT.
Commissioner Anderson asked Hunt
ington if he had any scheme for settle
ment to lay before the commission as
to the trouble between the road and
the government, and it was decided
that Huntington should prepare a
report, which would be ready in fif-
teen days and could be annexed to
his testimony.